My Supervisor

My sewing machine sits in front on a window that our cats love to sit in front of it and look outside.

Well, they don't always move when I begin to sew.  In fact, Tess, our Momma cat, lays there watching me sew.

I guess she got tired of watching, so she decided to help me.  She stayed there until I finished!  So Barbara, if you found white cat hair on your quilt... you now know why! 

The Hospital Quilt or the "Back" Quilt

Alan only spent four days in the hosptial with the back surgery, so I didn't have a lot of time to get much quilting done while there. Alana and Lauren were there with me during the surgery so we kept each other busy chatting and surfing the web.  I had to bring Lauren home after Alan got settled in his room, so we stopped by Hancocks to buy backing fabric for Alan's quilt.  I went back to spend Monday night at the hospital with Alan to make sure everything went well the first night after surgery.  Which he had a good first night!  We did actually get sleep!

Tuesday late afternoon, I came back home and begin to get Alan's quilt put together.  I scrambled to get the backing cut and sewn together.  I had planned to use basting spray to hold it together so I could hand quilt it some while sitting at the hospital.  I ran out of time before I got that done.  I then thought I could take it with me and use the hospital room floor to lay out the quilt and pin together.  So that's what I did!  

I moved a chair and side table to make enough floor space.  Then I taped down the backing and batting to the floor. Then I laid the quilt top down.  It worked really well, except for the aching knees and back!

I did begin to use a pillow under my knees and that helped a great deal.  Then as my back began to ache, I would lay flat on my back on the quilt. Never knew a hard floor could feel so good!  I did get the quilt pinned and then basted as well.  Needless to say the nurses would walk in and wonder what the heck I was doing!  They all were amazed at the fact I was putting pictures of animals that we had lost.  They didn't understand why they meant so much to us.  I guess not everyone is animal people like we are!

Surgery

Alan's back surgery went well, a little less than four hours.  Still in recovery right now for about another hour. He should get to his room about 2:30 PM.  His recovery last time took a long while.

One more "almost" done!

This week when we found out that Alan had to have back surgery once again, after the intial shock, I began thinking Crap! I don't have anything to quilt while at the hospital.  SO... I got super busy and finished Alan's quilt top!  I had hoped to get it basted together by today, but I didn't have enough fabric for the backing and didn't have a chance to buy any today.  SO...I had to dig around to find something to find some busy work that I can take with me.  Then tomorrow after he gets to his room and falls back asleep, it's off the a fabric store somewhere.   I would love to get his quilt completely finished by the time he comes home from the hospital.
I did take some pictures with my new camera and here is it!  Photos of some of the animals that have been part of our lives!

Here we go again!

Just found out that Alan (my hubby) has to go back in the hospital for additional back surgery on Monday which stems from complications from the first surgery in late December. UGH!  Well the bright side is that we know what to expect this time round.  Hopefully this will the be the last time we visit the hospital any time soon!

In December I practice my hand quilting while he was in surgery and recovery for almost seven hours.
I continued working on that quilt the entire time while sitting in his room for the next two weeks but it did keep me from going crazy.  It was also a great conversational piece with all the nurses!

After Alan filled me and Lauren in on what the doctor said, I had to go back to work. As I was driving to work, I was running things through my head of what was going to come.  Remembering things to do and not to do, and then I thought.....ON NO!  I don't have a quilt ready to do any hand quilting on!!!!!  What will I do to keep me from going crazy this time?  How sad is that!  He is having surgery and I'm thinking about quilting!

Well tonight I cut strips on several different fabrics I bought to border the "animal" pictures I printed on fabric to use in Alan's quilt.   My goal is to get this sewn together tomorrow and Saturday and then baste the quilt, batting and backing together by Sunday.  Then I can once again practice my hand quilting for the next week or so while at the hospital.  Quilting really does help my relieve stress and calm down when needed.  Some nights if I can sleep, I don't count sheep I count stitches!  Well not really count I just visualize the needle and thread going in and out of the fabric in a smooth and calming motion.

Alan and Lauren went to buy my birthday present yesterday after his doctor's appointment.  I now have a new digital camera!  YEA!  I don't have to use my cell phone camera to post pictures of my quilts!  Hopefully tomorrow I can post some pics of the progress on Alan's quilt.  I think it is the right time to get his finished!  All things happen for a reason, but I gladly would have finished his quilt without him going back to the hospital!!!

Bedtime now, got to be at the hospital early in the morning for pre-op paperwork! oh joy!

Sunny Days

The weather here in NC has been so beautiful!  It is like a picture perfect postcard.  Sunny Carolina blue skies, light wind, temperatures in the mid 70's and daylight until almost 8pm.  Couldn't ask anything better.  BUT... the only draw back is..... it makes it really hard to find the want to stay inside and quilt.  ugh.   I did get two UFO's finished this week.  Lauren got to sleep under her quilt a couple of nights ago and I got Barbara's quilt mailed to her on Monday.  I did get sashing and backing fabric for Steve's quilt today so hopefully this weekend I can do some sewing.   

We do have to get our blueberry & raspberry plants in the ground along with the tomato plants we bought.  I have to put the new blades on my lawnmower since I broke the old ones by running over something metal,  then finish cutting grass.  Well... I might get some quilting done and I might not!   I have new fabric I am dying to do something with but refuse to let myself start anything new until I get some more UFO's done.

Here is a picture of the Flynn Quilt System. See how Looonng my rods are!!!

I got to cut them down some!  But I think with practice I can get pretty good at this.

Making Progress

All I have left to do on Lauren's quilt is hand stitch binding. YEA!   I have Barbara's quilt quilted together except for the border.  I used basting spray for the first time. I think it works great for quilting straight lines or stitch in the ditch. I'll stick with the quilt frame for decorative quilting.

I put to pieces of form board together and set them up on the front porch for air circulation. I pinned the quilting backing on that and then I sprayed that with 505 basting spray. I put the batting on that and found out quickly that I should have mark my center lines and matching points BEFORE I started.  The basting spray does allow you to smooth out wrinkles. I then sprayed the batting and put on the top. I did have to make a couple adjustments to the back after bringing inside but the basting spray allowed me to adjust and reposition.  I did stitch in the ditch on the triangles on this.  If I could only follow a straight line!